Jersey Journal file photoSen. Brian P. Stack of Union City has proposed bill to end sick-time payouts for public employees.

State Sen. Brian Stack has introduced legislation in the state Senate that would end sick-time payouts for public employees, though most state Democrats are still set on curbing the practice rather than eliminating it.

Stack, the Democratic Union City mayor, acknowledged in a press release that public employees "may not be happy with me" for introducing the bill (S2117), but he said he believes it's "the right course of action" for the state.

"In my role as mayor, I have watched exorbitant payouts wreak havoc on our budget and it is time to curb this unfair practice," he said. "This bill is the most stringent piece of legislation with regard to curbing payouts and I feel that it is designed to effectively tackle an issue that plagues our residents."

The bill, which is co-sponsored by two Republicans, would only bar payouts for sick time accrued from the date of signing. It would also prohibit public employees from carrying over vacation days from one year to the next.

A Star-Ledger report in April revealed that 15 lawmakers in the state are owed a total of $850,000 in unused sick-time. State Sen. Nicholas Sacco, who is also the mayor and a top school administrator in North Bergen, is owed $144,000 in sick time.

Gov. Chris Christie, who shares a cozy political relationship with Stack, favors eliminating the payouts, while state Democrats would prefer to implement a cap. When Democrats passed a bill putting a $15,000 cap on the payouts, Christie vetoed it.

State Sen. President Stephen M. Sweeney has introduced a similar bill in the state Senate, and Democrats are focused on that bill, not Stack's, according to Sweeney spokesman Chris Donnelly.

Stack spokesman Mark Albiez, meanwhile, said Stack is hopeful Democrats and Republicans will end up lending their support to his bill.

"Legislators from both sides of the aisle recognize that reform is needed and Sen. Stack is confident that a common sense approach will advance this legislation," Albiez said in an email.